2026 Commonwealth PhD Scholarships For Developing Countries (Fully-Funded)

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are are for applicants from least developed countries and vulnerable states, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides these scholarships jointly with UK universities to support world-class research.

The Commonwealth Scholarship is a fully-funded opportunity to study in the United Kingdom. It covers the full fees and travel costs of selected candidates while also providing £1,652 living stipend per month.

More details about the scholarship including its requirements, benefits, and application procedure will be provided for interested and qualified candidates.

More scholarship opportunities are ongoing in countries across Europe, the United States and Canada. Check out some selected opportunities below:

2026 Commonwealth PhD Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: United Kingdom (UK)
• Study Abroad: Study in UK 
• Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | PhD Scholarships 
• Eligible Countries: Commonwealth Countries 
• Reward: Full Scholarship | £1,781 per month | Airfare Tickets 
• Deadline: October 14, 2025

2026 Commonwealth PhD Scholarship Details:

Funded by the UK Department for Education (DfE), Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for high-income countries support research that will have impact in a field relating to sustainable development.

The CSC operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth

They also enhance individual teaching and research capacity leading to increased institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth countries and will contribute to UK higher education and research by attracting high-calibre international candidates and encouraging links and collaboration.

Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth PhD scholarships are for high-quality graduates who have the potential to undertake world-class research of a developmental nature and to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries.

2026 Commonwealth Scholarship Requirements:

To be considered for the 2026 Commonwealth Scholarships, candidates must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2026.
• By September 2026, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*.
• Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2026.
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

2026 Commonwealth PhD Scholarship Duration and Reward

Each scholarship provides

• Approved airfare from the candidate’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,452 per month, or £1,781 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location), where approved.
• Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the scholar’s home country, unless they have claimed or intend to claim spouse and/or child allowances during their scholarship or have received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork.
• If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £622 per month for the first child, and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

If a scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

Required Documents for Commonwealth PhD Scholarship

Applicants must upload the following documents with the application:

• Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
• Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
• References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
• A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one of the institutions named on the application form.
• An unconditional offer, or an offer conditional only on finance, for the 2023 UK academic year for all institutions named on the application form.

Applications will be considered ineligible if any of the required documentation is not included by the closing date.

How To Apply for 2026 Commonwealth PhD Scholarship (Step-by-Step)

Applications for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.

The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system.

Applicants are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

As well as applying to the CSC, applicants must apply to a nominator.

There are three types of nominator invited to participate in the PhD scholarship programme: 

• National nominating agencies – this is the main route of application.
• Selected universities/university bodies – which can nominate their own academic staff.
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Deadline: October 14, 2025